Safety urged on Maine snowmobile trails

Wednesday

Dec 31, 2008 at 8:18 AMDec 31, 2008 at 8:19 AM

By GLENN ADAMSAssociated Press Writer

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Days after two deaths started Maine's snowmobile season on a tragic note, Gov. John Baldacci joined the Maine Warden Service on Tuesday in urging power sledders to be careful, sober and use common sense when they take to the state's trails this winter.

Snowmobilers come from all over the country to enjoy 13,500 miles of trails in Maine, where the sport contributes an estimated $350 million annually to the state's economy, Baldacci said.

"But it's also important to be serious about safety," the governor said at a news conference at Warden Service headquarters in Augusta. "We've got to be safe."

With the 2008-09 season barely under way, two fatalities have already been recorded in Maine. On Dec. 22, a 19-year-old from Cushing died when his sled went into the path of an oncoming car. Less than a week later, a 15-year-old Windham boy died after crashing his snowmobile into a tree west of Portage.

The fatalities follow a season in which 12 people lost their lives in Maine snowmobile accidents, five of them in one March weekend, state fish and game Commissioner Danny Martin said. The dozen deaths last snowmobile season was twice the total of the previous season.

Wardens will be out in force to ensure that this season doesn't end with those kinds of statistics, Martin said. He urged sledders to wear helmets, ride at reasonable speeds based on trail conditions, and let someone know where they are going.

As for drinking, that's always a bad idea because alcohol and snowmobiles are a dangerous mix and "chances are you will get caught," he said. Operating under the influence carries a $400 fine for the first offense, and can be higher if other violations have occurred.

Snowmobilers are hoping for the kinds of snow conditions that made last season "a whopper," said Bob Meyers, executive director of the Maine Snowmobile Association. More than 100,000 snowmobiles are registered in Maine, and for the most part their owners ride safely, he said.

But Meyers' group, which represents 285 clubs, continues to push for safety.

In cooperation with the Warden Service, safety checks will be conducted along the trails once the season gets rolling. The International Trail System is now completely logged into the 911 emergency system, and the snowmobilers have been working with LifeFlight helicopter service to improve medical evacuation capabilities along the trails, Meyers said.

The state's chief warden, Col. Joel Wilkinson, agreed that most snowmobilers are responsible, but wardens will be looking for those who violate the law.

Power sleds' speedometers go up to 100 mph, but Maine trails are not made for such high speeds, he said. He also said snowmobilers should remember that when they are on private land, "you are a guest." And he promised "firm" enforcement of OUI laws.